PROBLEMS OF "NON-INTERVENTION" IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR (1936-1939) IN THE GERMAN-SOVIET RELATIONS

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of Non-intervention Policy in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) in the context of German-Soviet relations on the eve of the Second World War. Scientific novelty of the study is due to a significant number of sources. There are many published foreign documents of the leading European countries and the materials from the Archive of Russian foreign policy are involved too. The agreement on Non-interference in the affairs ofSpainwas signed by European countries in August 1936 and also the Committee on its compliance was established. They have become an arena of acute diplomatic struggle between theUSSRand the fascist countries. At the same time, the author reveals a certain similarity in the tactics of the German and Soviet diplomacy: the denial of the facts of their participation in the Spanish conflict, the accusation of the opposite side in the facts of violation of the Non-intervention agreement. Activities in the implementation of the German and Soviet diplomacy in Non-intervention Policy was based on a combination of the need for cooperation with the Western powers and the obligations to uphold the interests of the nationalists in the Committee (Germany) and Republicans (USSR). At the same time, in some cases, greater tactical flexibility was shown by German diplomacy. Soviet policy delayed the defeat of the Republic in the Spanish Civil War, but the obstructionism of the USSR was significantly constrained the work of the Committee, that's why the first of all the fascist countries won, but they didn't have the need to slow down the development of effective forms of monitoring compliance with the agreement on non-interference. Uncompromising Soviet Union prevented the cooperation of theUSSRwith the Western countries and contributed to deepening and widening the political isolation of theSoviet Union. The practice of exclusion of theUSSRfrom the decision of the Spanish question was transferred to the sphere of solutions and resolve issues of pan-European problems.